


Like a Breath of Fresh Air

by Baklavalamp



Category: Soul Eater
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Blackstar is chaotic but he loves his friends, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, I think Patty and Tai Lee would get along, Maka should be the voice of reason but really she's just as bad, and not much of it, more characters!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:20:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25622017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baklavalamp/pseuds/Baklavalamp
Summary: Having finally reached the Northern Air Temple, Kid is eager to find an airbending master to teach him. Enter Maka, a spirited young airbender on a mission to find her mother. Will Team Avatar take this important first step towards bringing down Arachnophobia? Or will a new enemy cut their journey short? ATLA AU
Comments: 15
Kudos: 18





	1. Liftoff

**Author's Note:**

> FIC #2 HERE WE GO! Maka and Blackstar time :)
> 
> This fic isn't going to update nearly as quickly as FStS did, but I still don't plan on dropping off the face of the earth, so hopefully this will move along slowly but steadily!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater or Avatar: the Last Airbender

When Kid gets his first glimpse of the Northern Air Temple, he is immediately sure that no description or picture of it can possibly do it justice.

Towering spires of stone rise like sentinels above the clouds, their bases melding smoothly with the mountain they sit on. The temple itself seems impossibly high up, almost as though it is hardly connected to the earth at all.

"And here we are!" their guide, a monk in his early twenties, announces cheerfully. "Now we just have to wait for our sky bison to arrive."

Excited murmuring runs through the small crowd- all travelers picked up from the nearest Earth Kingdom town. The air nomads are happy to share their homes with curious outsiders, so it had been easy for Kid, Liz, and Patty to join a group headed for the Northern Air Temple.

"I can't wait to sleep in a real bed for once," Liz sighs, staring up at the complex longingly.

"Whatever happened to 'beds are for spoiled brats who wouldn't last a day on the street'?" Kid teases, lifting an eyebrow at his friend.

"Shut up," she says, although there's no malice in it. Kid smiles. Finally, after weeks of darting from village to town to empty forest clearing like elephant rats, Kid and the sisters will be able to rest without worrying about Arachnophobia goons hunting them down. Plus, Kid will finally get an airbending master! He's slept lightly these past few nights, wondering what bending an element besides fire will be like. He'd be lying if he said he isn't excited.

"Aaand there's our ride!" The whole group follows the monk's outstretched finger, and Kid's eyes widen. A sky bison! The enormous beast glides down to them with grace it shouldn't seem to have, six legs treading air like water. He's seen pictures of these animals, but seeing one in person is a different experience altogether.

"It's huge!" Patty exclaims, her eyes sparkling.

"Yeah, it is," Liz grimaces. She doesn't look so excited.

"It's an herbivore, Liz, it's not going to eat you if that's what you're worried about," Kid assures her, recalling what little he's read about the creatures. Liz doesn't look convinced.

"Meat-eater or not, it's still got teeth the size of my head. Is this really the only way up?"

"It is if you don't wanna climb!" Patty chirps. Liz groans, but doesn't argue further. Gradually, the sky bison closes in on the little group, and before long it's landing in front of them, pushing a light gust in all directions. A large saddle is attached to its back.

"Alright everyone, time to-," the guide starts, but a desperate shout cuts him off.

"Wait!"

Running up the trail is a blonde-haired girl about Kid's age, a blue-haired boy right behind her. Both are dressed in typical Earth Kingdom clothes, but the girl carries an airbender's staff. At the sight of her, Kid freezes, shocked. _No way..._

"Please wait," the girl pleads again, coming to a shaking halt in front of the guide. "We want to come too!" The guide looks apologetic.

"I'm sorry you two," he winces. "But we can only take so many people at a time. Why don't you catch the next group?"

"But that's in two weeks! We've got to get up there now," the girl insists.

"I'm really sorry, but-,"

"They're with us!" Kid exclaims suddenly, surprising everyone. The boy and girl in particular are staring at him, shocked.

"Yeah," the girl chimes in after a moment. "We were going to meet before we got here, but somebody made us late." This last statement is punctuated with a scowl at the blue-haired boy, who either doesn't notice the jab or is ignoring it.

"Oh! I didn't realize," the monk says, looking between the two groups. "Well then, I suppose we can make room for you."

"What are you doing?" Liz hisses to Kid, side-eyeing him as the Earth Kingdom teens head over.

"That's the girl I saw in the swamp!" Kid whispers back. Liz's eyebrows shoot up.

"Wait, seriously?" she asks. Kid nods. Although being in that swamp had felt like wading through a fever dream, he remembers the face of the apparition he'd seen there. Green eyes, blonde pigtails- it has to be her.

"Thank you so much," says the girl, once the five of them stand together in a little group off to the side. "We owe you one."

"Speak for yourself! A big star like me doesn't go around owing anyone anything!" the blue-haired boy pouts, sticking his nose in the air.

"Shut up, Blackstar," the girl hisses, elbowing her companion. He sticks his tongue out at her, but quiets down. Together, the five of them form a line with the other travelers, everyone taking their turn to climb up into the sky bison's saddle. Kid tries not to grip the creature's fur too tightly, but it hardly seems to notice him.

"My name's Maka," the girl tells them, once they're all settled. "It's nice to meet you."

"I'm Blackstar," the boy announces proudly, jabbing his thumb in the air. "You know, you guys did good, helping out my friend like that. It's stuff like that that'll help you climb the minion ranks real quick!"

"Huh?" Kid stares at him, baffled. Maka shakes her head, sighing.

"Ignore him. He's got a bit of a god complex, but he means well."

"I mean _awesome_ , not just well-,"

"So why are you guys headed for the air temple?" Liz cuts Blackstar off, addressing Maka. "You're Earth Kingdom, aren't you? Besides, I thought the northern temple was guys only."

"My papa's Earth Kingdom, but my mama's an air nomad. I got my bending from her," Maka explains proudly. "She left when I was young, and now I'm trying to find her. I don't expect her to be here exactly, but I'm hoping to get a lead from the monks."

"You're an airbender?" Kid asks, sitting up straighter. So that part of his vision had also been true as well...

"Yep! My mama trained me before she left. I probably could've gotten my master's tattoos, but I didn't want to shave my head."

"I don't blame you," Liz nods. "Like, I guess some girls can make it work, but I would not be one of them."

 _An airbender_ , Kid thinks. _And a skilled one, by the sound of it. Why would the swamp have wanted me to see her? Unless..._

"Is everybody ready?" The guide's call pulls Kid from his thoughts. All the travelers have settled down, and the monk is holding the bison's reins. When no one objects, the monk nods, turning in his seat on the animal's enormous head. "Alright everyone, hold onto your luggage, please!" With a light snap of the reins, the sky bison lurches into motion. Six legs churning, it climbs into the air like a huge, fluffy bird, and they're on their way.

"Oh!" Kid exclaims, watching as the ground drops away beneath them. Liz and Patty, along with many other passengers, are similarly entranced.

"We're flying!" Patty cries, and Liz laughs in amazement.

"What, you guys have never flown before?" Blackstar asks them, from where he's lounging against the saddle. Neither he nor Maka has even glanced over the saddle's rim.

"Definitely not," Liz says, her eyes still glued to the scenery.

"It's amazing, isn't it? My Mama used to take Blackstar and I for rides on her bison when were little," Maka tells the trio.

"Your mom has one of these?" Patty asks, turning to face her.

"Yep! She grew up at the Eastern Air Temple, so she got him when he was a calf," Maka nods.

"Lucky! I want one!"

"I'm sure they're a lot of work, Patty," Liz points out, settling back into the saddle. She smooths her hair down with one hand, trying to flatten out the flyaways. Kid pulls back as well, facing their new companions once more. _Maka and Blackstar, huh?_

"Oh!" Kid exclaims, a thought hitting him. "I'm sorry, we haven't introduced ourselves. I'm Kid," he says, bowing his head politely at the duo. Maka returns the gesture, but Blackstar just grins.

"Kid, huh? I can remember that. I'll give you a shout-out when I'm surpassing the gods."

"...Thank you," Kid blinks, unsure how else to respond to that.

"I'm Liz," his companion says, waving her hand a little. "And that's my sister, Patty." Liz points to the girl in question, who's moved towards the front of the saddle and seems to be trying to get the bison's attention. Kid groans when he notices this.

"Patty, leave the sky bison alone!" he calls over to her. Patty pretends not to hear him, running her hands through the animal's soft pelt. He can just make out snatches of things whispered into its ear, and he hopes she's not trying to convince it to run away with them. Although, being able to fly everywhere would be nice. He's finally used to all the walking they do now, but he'd still appreciate an easier mode of travel. Maybe they should look into getting some ostrich horses?

"It's alright, they like it when you talk to them," Maka assures him.

"Do they?" Kid asks, interested. He doesn't know much about sky bison, but he's heard they're fairly smart. Perhaps it shouldn't surprise him, then, that they like direct acknowledgement.

"Maka's read, like, every book ever written about sky bison," Blackstar informs him, rolling his eyes. "It's super nerdy."

"There's nothing nerdy about wanting to know as much as you can about something so important!" Maka huffs, scowling at Blackstar. To Kid, she elaborates: "All airbenders get a sky bison as a lifelong companion. Since I wasn't raised in an Air Temple, I'm pretty behind on getting mine, but I want to be ready when I finally do!"

"That makes sense," Kid nods, and Maka gives Blackstar a haughty smile.

"See?" she announces, folding her arms.

"So he's a nerd too, big deal," Blackstar snorts, and Maka's expression sours once more. Lifting one arm high over her head, she brings the side of her palm down on Blackstar's head. The boy grunts, his eyes crossing from the force of her strike, and for a moment Kid is afraid a fight is about to break out right there in the saddle. After a dazed second or two, however, Blackstar shakes his head and laughs. _Is that a regular thing for them?_ Kid wonders, bemused.

"So what are you guys visiting the temple for?" Maka asks, as though nothing at all strange had just happened. Kid blinks for a moment, but quickly regains his composure.

"We're looking for-," he starts, then pauses. Should he tell them he's looking for an airbending master? His clothes are distinctly Fire Nation, as are Liz and Patty's. Then again, Maka's wearing Earth Kingdom clothes; can he claim to have also been raised outside the temples? From the corner of his eye, Kid sees Liz watching him. Revealing his identity in Marie's village, when their lives may have depended on it, was one thing, but sharing his secret with two people he's just met is another entirely. They seem friendly enough, but for all he knows, they could be loyal to Arachne.

"What's wrong?" Maka asks, brows furrowed in concern. He's been silent for too long. He flashes what he hopes is an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, lost my train of thought," he tells her, and she makes a noise of understanding. "My situation's actually pretty similar to yours. My mom was an air nomad, but she died when I was young." Silently, Kid sends the blurry figure in his memories an apology. From what his father's told him, his mother was pretty easygoing, but it never hurts to be respectful.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't realize," Maka winces. Kid shakes his head.

"Don't worry about it," he assures her. She smiles gratefully. Then, she gasps, her eyes widening at something over Kid's shoulder. Kid turns to follow her gaze, and he gapes.

They've arrived.


	2. Getting to Know You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected lull in my real-life duties gave me some time to write, so here's chapter 2! I'll also be posting a short oneshot later today :)
> 
> Also, I’m posting this on mobile, so if you catch any formatting errors, please let me know!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Eater or Avatar: The Last Airbender
> 
> Heads up: Some language

"It's so pretty!" Patty exclaims, looking down over the saddle's edge in wonder. Beside her, Liz whistles appreciatively, also taking in the scenery.

"Meh, I've seen better," Blackstar shrugs, though the gleam in his eye is hard to miss.

Gliding down in a wide, slow curve, the sky bison gives its passengers a bird's eye view of the Northern Air Temple. Green-tiled roofs cast shade on wide pavilions from atop staggered towers. Staircases weave throughout the complex, and a light dusting of snow turns the whole scene white. It's unlike anything Kid's ever seen, and for a moment, all he can do is stare in awe.

As they get closer, the outlines of people throughout the complex become clearer. Most of them are men, shaved bald and sporting distinctive arrow tattoos. They all wear the reds, yellows, and oranges traditional to their culture, which makes the few foreigners among them easy to spot.

"Welcome to the Northern Air Temple!" announces their guide, smiling over his shoulder at the travelers. With skill that's surprising for his relative youth, he brings them down gently on what appears to be the main courtyard: a large pavilion boxed in by two layers of balconies. As soon as they've come to a stop, people begin to dismount.

"Finally here," Liz sighs, arching her back in a long stretch. "I was starting to think we'd never make it."

Kid can sympathise; there were points along their trip where he'd thought they'd be running and hiding forever. But now, hopefully, they can rest for a little while; It's supposed to be nearly impossible to reach an air temple without a sky bison, and Arachnophobia may be reluctant to besiege it from the ground. Here, the trio can rest, for now.

The last of the passengers is just climbing down from the bison's saddle when a small group of monks approaches, led by an elderly man. Judging by his robes, which are longer and more shawl-like than what his younger companions wear, Kid assumes he must be an official of some sort.

"It is our deepest pleasure to welcome you to our home," says the man, bowing low. Many of the travelers emulate him in response, all expressing their thanks for the hospitality. "I'm sure you've all had a long trip, so if you would like to collect your things and follow my disciples, they will show you to your rooms."

"Would the ladies please form their own group?" a younger monk announces, stepping forward to take charge.

"Guess we're splitting up for now," Liz gives Kid a wave as she heads over to join Patty and Maka with the other women. "Have fun with blue boy." Kid scowls at her retreating back.

"Alright, now it's party time!" Blackstar whoops once they're gone, his fists in the air. "Hey, baldy, when's dinner? I'm starving!" Kid rests his face in his hand, but the monk just laughs.

"We eat around sundown, so it shouldn't be too much longer. Alright, everyone, follow me!" With that, he sets off towards one of the large wooden doors encircling the courtyard. Following him, the group passes through a veritable maze of hallways.

"This place is a lot bigger than it looks on the outside," Kid murmurs to Blackstar.

"You think so? Cuz' I was just thinking how cramped it is for a big man like me!" Kid rolls his eyes, beginning to see a pattern in his interactions with the blue-haired menace.

As they walk, they pass by countless doors, all seemingly identical. It makes Kid wonder how anyone can live here and not get lost on a daily basis. Though, he supposes, if one's been here long enough, they'd probably know their way around. Finally, the monk comes to a stop outside one door in particular.

"Here we are!" he announces, pushing the door open. "This is where you guys'll be staying for however long you're here. Go ahead and make yourselves at home!" Spilling into the room, the group is greeted by the sight of rows and rows of beds, lined up against the walls of a long, narrow room. Each bed has a basket tucked underneath it, presumably for personal belongings. It's small, and certainly sparse, but it looks clean and comfortable, which is all Kid can ask for at the moment.

As the monk leaves them to get settled, each of the travelers sets about picking a bed and putting away his things. Blackstar charges ahead of everyone else, yelling "DIBS," before slamming his rucksack down on the cot closest to the door. "Kid! Quick, take this one," he shouts, jabbing a finger at the bed beside his own. "You can be closest to my star power!" Kid rolls his eyes yet again (he has a feeling he'll be doing a lot of that with Blackstar around), but moves to take him up on the offer. As they put their belongings away, Blackstar chatters animatedly about whatever comes to his mind.

"...and I was like, 'uh, I _know_ I'm a better earthbender than you,' and I dropped a boulder on his head! You shoulda seen it, Maka was _pissed-_ ,"

"You're an earthbender?" Kid interrupts, surprised. He's only been half-listening until now, so the information catches him off-guard.

"I'm _the_ earthbender. The best!" Blackstar grins, drawing himself up proudly. "Sid says- Sid's my dad, adopted dad, but you know- he says I was hucking dirt at people before I knew how to walk! I'm basically an earthbending genius."

"You don't say," Kid muses. Two skilled benders, each wielding an element he doesn't know yet, traveling together. And he just happens to run into them? It could be a coincidence, sure, but the more Kid sees of the world, the more he thinks some things happen for a reason.

"Yup! And-" Suddenly, Blackstar gasps. "Sunset!" he shouts.

"What?" Kid tries to ask, but the other boy is already dragging him into the hallway.

"Sun's down! Time to eat!" Blackstar cheers by way of explanation. It's all Kid can do to keep up with him as they race down the corridor.

* * *

Miraculously, considering neither of them had been given directions to the dining hall, the pair only makes three wrong turns before reaching their destination. Bursting into the large room, Blackstar- finally releasing Kid's arm- inhales deeply, relishing the scent of spices in the air.

"There you guys are," comes a familiar voice. Maka, Liz, and Patty sit on cushions at the end of one of the long tables that take up the majority of the room. Liz has spotted them through the crowd, and waves them over. "Maka said we'd find you here."

"He goes where his stomach takes him," Maka nods, and Patty laughs. The pigtailed girl has traded her Earth Kingdom clothes for the traditional outfit of a young airbender.

Blackstar appears unfazed by his friend's teasing, and drops himself down on the cushion beside the younger Thompson sister. Kid takes a seat next to Liz on the other side of the table, listening as the group begins sharing what they've learned about the Air Temple.

"Meditation for three hours a day just sounds crazy to me," Liz is telling Maka, shaking her head in disbelief. "I mean, I could probably do it for a few minutes, but hours? That'd drive me nuts!"

"It's all about achieving mindfulness," Maka explains. "Some of the great masters- the ones who've completely severed their ties with the earth- can do it for weeks at a time, surviving entirely on dew!"

'We better not be having dew for dinner," Blackstar grumbles, staring hungrily over at the door to the kitchen. Maka sniffs.

"You know, some of the guys who do that can fly," she informs him. "As in, on their own, without gliders."

"Big deal. I like my feet on the ground, anyway, where they belong," Blackstar shrugs, but Patty, who until now has been acting out some sort of skit with her chopsticks, looks up eagerly.

"You can do that?" she gasps. "Like a bird?"

"That's what they say," Maka nods, looking pleased to have found a more receptive audience. "Of course, you basically have to spend your entire life training for it. And you have to be an airbender." Hearing this, Patty appears to lose interest in the topic, but then she gasps again.

"Kid, that means you could do it!" she exclaims, looking to her friend excitedly. Kid laughs nervously, holding his hands up in a 'slow down' gesture.

"That's an interesting thought, but I think I should probably get the basics down before I give flying a shot," he says. Maka raises an eyebrow at him.

"Wait, do you not know _any_ airbending?" she asks, disbelief in her voice. Silently, Kid curses his slip-up.

"No! I mean, yes. I mean-," he stutters, scrambling for an excuse.

"That's kind of a sore spot for him," Liz whispers to Maka, just loud enough for Kid to catch it. Maka's eyes widen, the confusion in them turning to sympathy. _Note to self: thank Liz later_ , Kid thinks.

"I understand completely," Maka tells him, scooting forward a bit in her seat. "I didn't learn any actual bending moves until I was eight years old! Before that, all I could manage were aimless blasts of wind. Papa wouldn't take me to the city to find a teacher until he thought I was old enough." Liz frowns at this.

"I thought benders are supposed to learn the basics when they're, like, five or six, so they don't go around breaking things on accident," she says, and Maka's expression pinches in irritation.

"That is what's supposed to happen," she scowls. "But stupid Papa wouldn't listen."

"Her old man's a total sap," Blackstar explains. "He gets all weepy and shit whenever Maka acts all grown up. _My baby girl isn't ready to be a bender, she'll get hurt!_ " He puts on a deeper voice for this last part, presumably in imitation of Maka's father. Despite himself, Kid laughs a little.

"I can relate; my father's always been on the sentimental side. I think I was the one comforting him on my first day of school," he says, and Maka smiles. Then, a thoughtful look rises to her face.

"So, you're in the same position I was, right?" she asks, and Kid nods. Maka brightens. "Well then, if you'd like, I could show you a few moves! I mean, I know you're probably here to find a real teacher, but I could at least introduce you to the basics. That way you won't be going in completely blind when you start taking lessons."

"You'd do that?" Kid asks, straightening. She nods.

"Sure! We airbenders gotta look out for each other, after all."

Kid thinks back to what he'd seen in the swamp. He recalls the vision of Maka, dressed like an Air Nomad, flitting through the trees like a bird. Could this be what the swamp was trying to tell him? 

"Oh, shit!" Liz exclaims suddenly, jolting Kid from his epiphany. The tall blonde is staring at her wrist. "My bracelet! It must have fallen off on the way over here. Kid, come help me look for it!"

”But-," he starts, but Liz ignores him, grabbing his wrist and pulling him out of the dining hall. "Alright, where did you last see it?" he sighs, resigning himself to the task at hand. But to his surprise, Liz retrieves the blonde bangle from her skirt pocket the moment they're alone in the hallway.

"We need to talk," she informs him, sliding the bracelet back over her hand. "What are you doing, talking about lessons with her? Did you forget we're supposed to be laying low? I thought you were gonna talk to whoever's in charge here about a private tutor."

"She's the girl I saw in the swamp," Kid reminds her, but Liz looks unconvinced.

"I know, but what does that have to do with this? It doesn't automatically mean we can trust her."

"Look, I think she's supposed to be my airbending master," Kid says, finally giving voice to the suspicions he'd had earlier. Liz arches an eyebrow.

"Her? She's, like, your age. What's she supposed to teach you that you couldn't learn from one of those monk guys?" she points out.

"I'm not sure, I just… have a feeling," Kid says. Liz still doesn't look convinced, but she seems to at least be considering it. Finally, she sighs.

"I guess a lesson or two wouldn't be the end of the world. Just as long as you don't slip up and firebend," she says, eyeing him sharply. Kid gives her a dull look.

"You know, it wouldn't hurt to have a little faith in me," he suggests. Liz snorts.

"I'll keep that in mind next time I'm pulling you out of a greaseberry bramble."

"That was one time!" Kid protests, his ears turning red, but Liz laughs him off. Together, they step back into the dining hall.

"Oh, good, you found it!" Maka perks up as they approach their table. Neither Patty nor Blackstar acknowledge the pair's return, too engrossed in their food to notice.

"Yep!" Liz grins, flashing her wrist as she reclaims her seat. The food looks as good as it smells, and Kid finds his stomach growling. Without further ado, he and Liz help themselves.

"So," Maka speaks up between bites of steamed tofu. "Was that a 'yes' to me showing you some airbending?"

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble," Kid confirms, spooning some bean curry into his bowl.

"Not at all! Let's meet in the courtyard tomorrow morning." she suggests. Kid nods his agreement, his mouth full. Maka gets the idea, though, and with their plans confirmed, the two benders join their friends in enjoying the meal.


	3. Lessons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! Bit of a longer chapter this time. I've got some free time again, but only for a little while, so I'm going to try and post the rest of this quickly. Please enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater or Avatar: The Last Airbender
> 
> Heads Up: Language

With heavy eyes and full stomachs, Kid and Blackstar bid goodnight to the girls before trudging back to their quarters.

"Dude, that was so goood," Blackstar sighs, patting his stomach as he walks. The numerous, colorful stains on his shirt are muted by the silvery moonlight filtering through the windows.

"You had six dumplings, two servings of mung bean curry, and an entire fruit pie," Kid points out, recalling the bluenette's feast with a mixture of disgust and awe. "I'm surprised you're still able to walk." Not that Kid blames him for eating so much; everything the monks provided had been delicious, albeit radically different from anything available in the Fire Nation or Earth Kingdom.

"I could've had more, too, if there'd just been some meat on the table," Blackstar boasts. "Seriously though, these guys don't eat _any_ meat, ever?"

"They're vegetarians, Blackstar," Kid explains. "It's part of their culture."

"Yeah, well, culture's great and all, but I'd take meat kebabs first any day," the other boy grins, and Kid shakes his head in resignation. They've just arrived at their door now, anyway, and after such a long day, all Kid wants is to sleep.

Blackstar, for all his seemingly boundless energy, surprises Kid by being the first one out, his snores grating in the background as everyone else in the dorm prepares for bed. After climbing into his own bunk, however, any annoyance the sound may have caused Kid immediately fades away; weeks and weeks of sleeping on a bedroll have taught him to appreciate the comforts of a real bed. Relaxing into the cot, Kid closes his eyes and fades into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Silhouetted by the moonlight, a lone figure picks his way up the side of Air Temple Mountain. It's a steep climb, and footholds are scarce, but this does not deter the figure; he scales the rock face like a hog monkey.

A pair of winged lemurs are startled awake as the figure hauls himself onto their ledge, and they flap away, chittering fearfully. Taking a seat, he allows himself to rest for a moment. He doesn't have much further to go now.

He mulls over his latest assignment. A boy, fourteen, supposedly the Avatar. Lady Arachne was adamant that he be brought in alive. She needn't worry about that, though; killing a child would give him nightmares.

Blades jingle as the figure gets to his feet, his brief rest deemed sufficient.

He has a job to do, after all.

* * *

"Airbending is all about going with the flow," Maka declares, tracing loose, sweeping motions through the air with her arms. She and Kid stand in the center of a small courtyard, hidden by wiry pine trees from the temple's more populous centers. Here, the only observers are their friends, who lounge atop the stone steps they'd climbed to get here. The morning sun has grown brighter since Maka had first led them here, but it offers little warmth. "When you bend, you're not pushing or pulling the air- just redirecting it."

Kid tries to emulate Maka's movements. But while hers are smooth and steady, his stutter, the flow of his hands breaking with his concentration.

"You don't need to copy me perfectly," Maka tells him, noticing how his gaze flits between her stance and his own. "Just let the movement come naturally. The more relaxed you are, the better." Kid nods, and takes a breath. _Relax_ , he orders himself. But his posture remains tense, and his attempts at sweeping curves don't lose their jagged edges. Maka frowns. "Maybe we should take a break," she suggests.

"No, I'm alright," Kid insists, not pausing in his work. He's got to get this right.

"It might help," Maka pushes. "A lot of the time new airbenders have trouble, it's because they're trying too hard."

"What do you mean?" Kid asks, finally looking over at her. She smiles.

"You care too much about making something happen," she explains. " I had the same issue when I first started taking lessons. It's good that you're taking this seriously, but the key to airbending is being passive. Move with the air, not through it."

"Okay," Kid nods, returning to the basic stance Maka taught him. Passivity. Go with the flow. He can do that. He starts again, leaning into the simple forms, trying to transition smoothly from one into the next. _Just let it happen..._

Five minutes later, Kid still hasn't managed to produce even the slightest breeze. It concerns him; why isn't it working?

"You're still too tense," Maka tells him, answering his unspoken question. "Look, let's stop for a bit, okay? I really do think it will help." Kid wants to argue, but they've been at this for hours now, and it occurs to him that his impromptu instructor could probably use a break.

"OKay," he sighs, abandoning his fruitless efforts. Together, they approach the staircase, where their friends still sit. When the lesson had begun, Liz, Patty, and Blackstar had watched with interest, but as time went on and progress continued to elude him, they'd begun to turn their attentions elsewhere. Now, Blackstar naps, Patty watches the flying lemurs, and Liz combs her fingers through her hair.

"Done?" Liz asks, glancing at Maka and Kid as they approach.

"For now," Maka responds. She steps up to Blackstar, nudging him awake. He grunts, cracking one eye open.

"Wazz… oh, you done?" he mumbles, stretching deeply. "Finally. I was starting to think we'd be here forever."

"It's not even noon yet!" Maka argues. As the two of them dissolve into light bickering, Liz turns to Kid.

"No luck then, huh?" she asks. Kid shakes his head.

"Nothing. She says I'm too tense right now," he says, and Liz snorts.

"You? Tense?" she says, feigning shock. "I don't buy it." Kid's expression lightens a little.

"I'm not that bad," he defends himself. "Usually."

"You're like one of those scaled, badgermole-looking things that go around looking like they're trying to ask you a favor," she tells him, getting a raised eyebrow in response.

"A pangolin?" he asks.

"Yeah, that," Liz nods. Kid rolls his eyes. "The point is, you could stand to take it easy every once in a while."

"Yeah, Kid, relax!" Patty pipes up, having apparently grown bored of watching the lemurs. Kid shakes his head.

"I think I'm as relaxed as I can be, given our circumstances," he points out. Really, compared to how he'd been when they'd first left the Fire Nation, he thinks he's calmed down considerably. Life on the run is a crash course in rolling with the punches. The sisters don't look convinced, though.

"What circumstances?" Kid almost jumps when Maka speaks up, looking at him questioningly. Dammit, he'd forgotten she was there. How much has she heard?

"Ah, well..." he fumbles. He has to say something! "It's kind of a long story." Maka tilts her head a little.

"Is everything okay?" she asks, her concern plain to see. Should he tell her? No, not yet. They're friends now, sure, but he's not quite ready to let her in on his big secret.

"It's just… Well, we kind of had a rough trip getting here," he says. That much is true, at least. "This temple is the first place we've been able to let our guards down in a while, and we're still getting used to it."

"I see," Maka says. "Well, that would explain why you're having so much trouble learning to airbend." She looks thoughtful now, staring into empty space with her chin in one hand. Just as Kid is about to ask what's on her mind, she gasps, her face lighting up. "I've got it! Kid, I know what we're gonna do. Come on!" And with that, she's off, racing down the steps and back towards the temple proper. Shrugging at Liz and Patty, Kid takes off after her, curious to see what she has in mind.

* * *

"No."

"Oh, come on!"

"Uh-uh."

"It'll help, I promise!"

"Help what, kill me?" Kid demands, using the glider she's shoved in his hands to point wildly at the cliff they're standing on. Since meeting her yesterday, Kid has been under the impression that while Blackstar is a loud, boisterous knucklehead (albeit a well-meaning one), Maka is nice and sensible, the sort of person Kid would have enjoyed working on a school project with, back at home. Apparently, he's been gravely mistaken; she's completely out of her mind. She has to be, if she expects Kid to agree to this!

"Gliding is a huge part of air nomad culture!" Maka insists, blissfully unaware of her own insanity. "Most of us start doing this when we're six, Kid. Six years old! It's perfectly safe."

"I beg to differ," Kid says, his arms tightly crossed.

"It is! Look, there are hundreds of people here who can catch you if you have trouble. Which you won't!" Maka rushes to include this last part, anticipating Kid's argument before he can even make it. "I'll guide you through everything you need to do, which really isn't much. Just trust me!"

"Not happening," Kid shakes his head firmly, adamant. Maka stares hard at him, then sighs.

"I guess I can't force you," she concedes, scuffing the dirt with her foot. Kid relaxes.

"Thank you," he says.

"I guess we'll just-," Maka begins, but cuts off. She begins teetering on her feet, swinging her arms as though she's on a ship caught in a storm. "Whoa, whoa!" She begins to wobble towards the cliff's edge. A jolt of alarm races through Kid.

"Maka, stop that!" he says, reaching his free hand out toward her.

"I can't!" Maka shouts, although the smile on her face says otherwise. "I'm gonna fall! You have to catch me!"

"Maka, don't-!"

Too late. Glider in hand, Maka begins to tip backwards over the edge.

Logically, Kid knows she'll be fine either way. She's got her glider on her, and she's a talented air bender. She's in no real danger. Despite knowing this, however, Kid still races forward to grab her arm and stop her plunge. But he's miscalculated; Maka's weight and his uneven footing work together to pull him over the side.

_Shit._

Time slows. The ground- the wonderful, wonderful ground- tips away from him, his connection to it waning as gravity takes hold. And then he begins to fall.

A scream tears itself from his throat, but the rushing air steals it away before he can even hear it. His eyes water, but he's unable to close them completely, knowing somehow that hurtling through a sightless void would be even more terrifying than this. His stomach appears to have done the smart thing and bailed when he'd first gone over.

"Open your glider!" Straining against the buffeting wind, Kid manages to turn his head, and finds Maka falling beside him. She gives her own glider a shake as she shouts at him. Kid's grip on the one she'd given him is white-knuckled as he starts whacking it against his palm, trying to get the wings to open. After a few hair-raising seconds of no results, it snaps into gear. Kid clings to it tighter as he's shaken up by turbulence, the wide wings trying to catch the air.

"Now what?!" he screams.

"Grab the front with both hands and hook your feet into the spokes," Maka instructs him, demonstrating as she does. The moment she's in position, her fall seems to come to a screeching halt. Riding the breeze, she soars up, up, and away from Kid. The sight horrifies him, and yet somehow provides some modicum of comfort; it can be done. Resolutely not looking down, Kid sets his jaw and gets to work.

Latching onto the glider's front with both hands causes him to tip forward, but it also puts the back end in easier reach of his feet. After a few tries, he's successful in catching the back spokes of the glider with his toes. The moment this happens, a remarkable force slams up into him, and his fall stops. But that's just the beginning! Steadily, miraculously, Kid begins to gain altitude, riding back up into the sky. From somewhere nearby, Maka cheers, and the sound encourages him to look ahead.

Oh.

Oh _wow_.

The whole world stretches out below him like a tapestry, people and buildings reduced to blips of color on the landscape. The wind, once a terrifying maelstrom, is now calm, buoying him upward like water under a turtle duck.

"I- I'm flying!" Kid exclaims, elated. "I'm flying!"

"That's right!" Maka laughs, appearing on his right. "How's it feel?"

How can she possibly expect him to answer that? It's impossible to describe; words like _exhilarating_ and _breathtaking_ don't even begin to cover it. It's like all his worries, all his fears, everything weighing him down has fallen away, and he is free. His eyes grow damp once again, but this time the wind has nothing to do with it.

"Incredible," he answers her, and she seems to understand. Together, they soar through the skies above the Northern Air Temple, basking in the joy that only an airbender can know.

* * *

"You did it!" Patty cries, and Kid's smile is a declaration of victory. After coming back down to earth, Maka had insisted he try airbending once more. In exchange for the promise of more flight lessons, he'd agreed, and they'd gathered their friends in the little courtyard once more. Now, watching the pine trees shudder from the force of the air he's just sent at them, Kid feels as though he's still soaring.

"Yes!" Maka whoops, jumping up and down with Patty. Liz hasn't left her seat on the stairs, but there's a prideful gleam in her eye as she watches the young Avatar's success. "Congratulations, Kid! You're officially an airbender!"

"Thanks to you," he insists, growing flustered by the girls' celebration. Really, it's nothing to get so worked up about. He's still a long way from mastering it.

"Oh, please," Maka waves him off. "All I did was give you a little push in the right direction."

"More of a pull, from the sound of it," Liz smirks. Maka at least has the decency to look bashful. She's already apologized for the trick she'd pulled on the cliff, but Kid's forgiveness can't protect her from the others. Blackstar in particular had carried on about it, gleeful that 'Miss Goody-Two Shoes' had finally shown her 'true colors'.

The earthbender in question startles Kid now by giving a loud whoop, leaping up from his position sprawled lazily on the ground. "Alright, now that you're done with the boring stuff, you get to train with me!" he declares, pumping his fist. Kid chokes. Earthbending lessons? Is his secret out?! How? Since when? Glancing anxiously at Maka, his tension fades somewhat when he sees her shake her head tiredly.

"Blackstar, what'd I tell you about dodgerock?" she sighs.

"That it's the best game ever, and it'll make him a kickass airbender?"

"Dodge...rock?" Kid echoes hesitantly, relieved but confused. Blackstar beams at him.

"It's, like, the ultimate reflex trainer! Trust me, you'll love it." With that, the earthbender grabs Kid by the wrist and tows him away. Something about the other boy's manic grin tells Kid he won't enjoy what's coming in the slightest.

* * *

"So, how did you guys meet, anyway?" Maka's question distracts Liz from the spectacle in front of them.

"Oh, we just kind of ran into each other," she says, waving her hand. "Honestly, Patty and I didn't plan on sticking with him this long, but he kinda grows on you."

"I get that," Maka smiles, looking out on the clearing below them. They sit atop the mountain that forms the temple's base, watching as Kid, Patty, and Blackstar race around in the snow. Apparently, Blackstar's idea of dodgerock consists of using his bending to hurl clumps of frozen earth at his hapless opponents, a practice they can hear Kid condemning all the way from where they sit. Patty, on the other hand, has taken to the game with zeal, and uses her bare hands to pelt both boys with snow and small rocks. "Blackstar and I have been friends since we were both little. He can be a pain sometimes, but I wouldn't trade him for anything."

The girls watch as Kid uses airbending to dodge a chunk of earth the size of his head. Liz whistles, impressed.

"Well, it _is_ helping his reflexes," Maka winces. "That's important for airbending."

"Assuming he survives this," Liz muses dryly. As if to underscore her point, a well-aimed snowball from Patty picks that moment to knock Kid face-first onto the ground.

"Goal!" Patty screams, jumping up and down. To his credit, though, Kid doesn't stay down for long, and soon he's fighting to return the favor.

"Think we should stop them?" Liz asks, looking at Maka from the corner of her eye.

"Let's give them a few more minutes. Lunch'll be ready soon, we'll break it up then," Maka suggests, and Liz nods.

"So, have you heard anything about your mom? You were gonna talk to someone, right?" she asks, trying to be conversational, but Maka frowns.

"No," she huffs, scowling. "Turns out, I'd have to talk to the council for any real leads, but they won't hold an audience with just anybody."

"Oh," Liz says, at a bit of a loss. "That sucks." Maka shrugs.

"I should have seen it coming. But I'll figure something out." She grins wryly. "Maybe I'll say I'm the Avatar. They'd have to talk to me then." Liz laughs with the younger girl in a way she hopes doesn't sound awkward. Fortunately, the conversation is interrupted before it can go any further.

"Hah!" Kid is shouting, his arms in the air. "I got you!" Several feet across from him, Blackstar clutches his face.

"Cold!" he screams, batting off the remains of Kid's snowball. Patty shrieks with glee, her projectiles forgotten.

"He got you, he got you!" she sings, pointing at Blackstar.

"Lucky shot," he scowls, shaking his head like a wet dog. "You only hit me because I let you."

"I'm sure," Kid grins. Blackstar makes a face at him. Just then, the peal of a bell fills the air, sending clouds of lemurs scattering from the trees. The earthbender grins at the sound.

"Lunch!" he shouts, charging up towards the main temple like a man on a mission. Equally hungry, though not quite so over-the-top about it, the others follow. It's been a long morning, after all.


	4. Set Adrift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update! Please enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater or Avatar: The Last Airbender
> 
> Heads Up: Language

After that first day, the rest of the week is comparatively slow. Kid wants more airbending lessons, and Maka, glad to know her trip here wasn't a total waste of time, is happy to oblige. Patty and Blackstar make the temple their oyster, leaving the others to do damage control in their wake. Overall, it's pleasant. Relaxing. It makes Kid feel normal again, allows him to forget who he is and just be a teenager again. It's nice, he thinks. To forget.

But not everyone forgets; all throughout their pleasant week, a man watches them. Sharp, careful eyes follow their movements, learn their patterns, and memorize their faces. But he doesn't strike. Not yet. Patience is an old friend, and the man sees no reason to scorn it now. So, he waits. It's an important mission, after all, and he can't afford to fail.

_Soon._

* * *

"You know you're going to get crumbs everywhere, right?" Kid asks, raising an eyebrow at Blackstar. In the adjacent cot, the blue-haired boy swallows.

"I'll just brush 'em off," he assures his friend, before popping another two macaroons into his mouth. Kid rolls his eyes. Honestly, why does he bother?

The sun sank below the horizon some time ago, but the men's dormitory is still buzzing. _Maybe buzzing isn't the right word,_ Kid muses silently. _'Clinging to consciousness,' more like._ Candles flicker on every nightstand, soft light turning shadows fuzzy. It's probably not enough to read by, but Kid tries anyway. Maka wants her copy of _Journey to the_ West back soon, so he can't waste any time finishing it. But right now, lying in bed with his head propped awkwardly against the wall, his vision begins to blur, and he's forced to admit that there's only so much he can read in one night.

"I'm going to sleep," he announces, just loudly enough for Blackstar to hear.

"G'night," the boy mumbles, still snacking away. Kid slides the book beneath his cot and settles down. He just lies there at first, half-listing to whispered conversations. Eventually, though, the hushed voices and soft scent of candle smoke deaden him to the world.

* * *

The new moon sits high above the silent temple when the man makes his move. Creeping silently into the chamber, he approaches one of the beds closest to the door. For a moment, he lingers there, staring down at his target. The tousled black hair and boyish face match Arachne's description perfectly, but even if they didn't, the child's presence in the spirit world is unmistakable. This is the Avatar.

Though it's not unexpected, his target's youth still makes the man hesitate. Accomplishing this mission means condemning this boy to pain and misery. Can the man really be a part of that? But as his resolution wavers, another face appears in his mind. A face just as innocent. _This is for her,_ he reminds himself. _For her._

Hesitation gone, the man gets to work.

* * *

Consciousness returns slowly for Kid. Reluctantly, almost. As though his whole being resists the thought of being awake. Kid can't say he blames it; it's a nice feeling, this weightless disconnect. He wouldn't mind just staying like this, at least for a little while. But Blackstar will be awake soon, and he'll drag Kid down to the mess hall for breakfast, and Kid knows from experience that he'll be better prepared for that if he's the first one awake. So, reluctant but resigned, he forces his eyes open.

Sunlight pours in through the doorway, shining merrily on his groggy roommates. It appears he's slept in today; most of the room's other occupants are still asleep when he usually gets up. What's more surprising, though, is that Blackstar is gone. _Did he go to breakfast without me?_ Kid wonders. It's possible the other boy got impatient, but then why hadn't he just woken Kid up? Blackstar's certainly never been shy about doing so before. Perplexed, Kid decides the best way to find out is to investigate. Hopping out of bed, he heads down to the mess hall.

He spots his friends right away, seated at their usual table, and sure enough, Blackstar is with them. Strangely, no one is eating. Could they be waiting for him? As Kid approaches, though, he notices the troubled looks on their faces.

"...could have gone?" Maka is asking.

"No clue," Liz shakes her head, frowning. Her brow is furrowed; something must be wrong.

"What's the matter?" he asks them, approaching the table. But his friends don't respond. In fact, they don't even look up. "Hello?" he tries again, waving. Are they ignoring him?

"I asked around the dorm before I got here, but none of them saw anything," Blackstar informs the group, his tone lacking its usual boisterousness. "But he fell asleep before me last night, so I know he didn't go anywhere then." _What?_

"I'm right here!" Kid insists, touching Blackstar's shoulder. Or at least, he tries to. Gold eyes widen in horror and shock as the outstretched hand slides through his friend's arm, like trying to touch mist.

Kid yelps, pulling his hand back as though it's been burned. _What? What?!_

"Hey!" he shouts, desperate now for their attention. "I'm here! Look! Can't you see me?" Apparently not; despite the commotion he's making, no one in the entire room so much as glances his way. _Oh no…_

What in the name of the spirits is happening?!

"Freaky, isn't it?" Kid jumps. Standing beside him, where just a moment earlier there'd been empty space, is a tall, muscular man. His light brown hair is cropped close to his scalp, and his clothes are distinctly Earth Kingdom, but the look in his squinting eyes belongs to a worldly soul. Those eyes look down on Kid kindly, but the boy doesn't let his guard down.

"Who are you?" he demands.

"Good question," says the man, taking his own chin in one hand. "I've been a lot of things. I guess you can call me Joe."

"Joe?" Kid echoes, his eyebrows shooting up. _No way_. "As in, Avatar Joe?"

"Yep," the man nods. Kid can hardly believe his eyes. His predecessor! Here! But how?

"What are you doing here?" he asks. "I thought you were..."

"Dead?" the man cuts him off, amused. Kid nods. "Oh, I'm dead alright. But I'm not _dead_ , you know?" The look on Kid's face must answer that question pretty clearly, because Joe clears his throat. "I mean, yeah, I'm dead, but my spirit gets to stick around. It's an Avatar thing. Part of the whole 'past lives' business. You'll understand."

"Okay," Kid says, not at all sure of that.

"Anyway, the reason I'm here is to introduce you to the spirit world. You've heard of it, right? Well, as the Avatar, part of your job is to make sure the spirit world and the physical one don't throw each other out of whack. Think of it like a set of scales- you're the one who makes sure both sides weigh the same."

"Alright," Kid nods slowly. He's heard bits and pieces of this before, just from rumors and stories about his predecessors. But the confusion on his face remains. "But- not to be rude- why are you telling me this now?" he asks. He appreciates the information, sure, but it's coming from out of the blue.

"You're smart, Kid," Joe says. "Think about it for a second."

This confuses Kid further. Is there something special about today? Something that would allow a spirit to-

Oh.

Duh.

"We're in the spirit world, aren't we?" Kid deadpans, pressing a palm against his forehead. Joe smiles.

"Bingo." Kid groans. Of course, he should have known; spirits don't normally manifest in the physical world, so for him to be able to speak so casually with Joe like this can only mean he's crossed over somehow.

"But how? When?" Kid demands. Glancing down at himself now, he can see his whole body's gained a soft bluish glow. How'd he miss that? Instead of answering him, however, Joe just looks uncomfortable. "What?" Kid pushes, although he doesn't expect to like the answer.

"That's… the other thing I'm here to talk to you about." _Uh oh._

* * *

Miles below the disembodied Avatar, a man picks his way down a sheer rock face. The going is slow, but the man makes the most of his skill, allowing himself to fall between footholds for a slightly faster descent. As he goes, though, he takes great care not to jostle the body slung over his shoulder.

He hopes that, when the time comes to call back the boy's spirit, the young Avatar will forgive him.

He isn't counting on it, though.

* * *

Kid can hardly believe his ears. Or at least, he wouldn't be able to, were his physical ears not probably halfway down the mountain by now.

"How is that possible?" he asks, almost pleadingly. A sword did this? A regular, human-made sword?

"He's spent more than his fair share of time in the spirit world," Joe explains, as though the idea of someone _cutting your spirit out of your body_ is perfectly natural and nothing to get so worked up about. "His sword was probably forged there. Off the top of my head, I can name a dozen spirits who could've helped him do it. He must be a pretty spectacular swordsman to have attracted their attention, though."

"Fantastic," Kid groans, his face back in his hands. Arachne- because he's certain she has something to do with this, why can't she leave him alone?- couldn't have sent someone normal after him, could she? No, she had to find a human sword god to do her dirty work!

"Oh, come on, it's not that bad," Joe says placatingly, earning a scowl for his efforts.

"How so?" Kid challenges. Because really, he can't think of any way this situation could be worse.

"Well, you've got those friends of yours here, for one thing. Why don't you get them to go after the guy?" Joe suggests.

"How? They can't see or hear me!" Kid reminds him. In response, Joe merely grins.

"You'll figure it out," he assures the boy. Kid glares at him, unamused.

"You know, for a spiritual advisor, you're not much help," he points out flatly. Joe just chuckles.


	5. Rallying the Troops

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man, this one went through so many revisions. I think it finally came out okay, though.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater or Avatar: The Last Airbender
> 
> Warning: Language

Over the course of the next fifteen minutes, Kid learns a number of things about the spirit world.

For one, he cannot touch anything physical, nor can anything physical touch him. No matter how hard he tries, even the lightest shoulder tap is beyond his reach. Second, bending of any kind is impossible, which spoils his plan to manipulate the room's lighting. Not that that plan had much going for it, anyway: the sun is fully risen, so any flickering candlelight would be easily missed.

The third, and most frustrating, thing he learns is that previous Avatars have _way_ too much time on their hands.

"Made any progress?" Joe asks, returning from his second or third stroll around the mess hall.

"No," Kid scowls. At their table, his friends make plans to search the temple for him. It's wildly frustrating. He needs to get their attention somehow…

"Look at that," Joe speaks up then, pointing at a nearby window. A flying lemur has perched on the sill, sniffing curiously.

"It's a lemur," Kid says. "They're all over the place here. This one's probably just looking for an easy meal."

"Cute little guy," remarks Joe. "And fast, by the looks of it."

"They are pretty fast, yes," Kid confirms. Is this really what they should be discussing right now?

"Could probably get down the mountain and back in a few hours," Joe muses. Kid stares at him then. What's that supposed to mean?

"They're not easy to train, even if you're not stuck in the spirit world," Kid tells him, as though speaking to a young child, but Joe's knowing grin doesn't waver.

"Who said anything about training him?" he asks. Kid's brow furrows. What is he saying? If you don't train an animal, it won't listen to you. Not unless you have a way to-

"No way," Kid exclaims as he catches on, and Joe's grin becomes downright mischievous. "Is that… Can I do that?"

"Do what?" his predecessor asks innocently.

"You know what I mean. You aren't saying I can… take it over somehow, are you?" Kid ventures, hoping they're on the same page.

"Worth a shot," Joe shrugs, glancing back at the little animal. Kid follows his gaze, and hesitates. Can he do that? _Should_ he do that? What if it gets hurt? But he has to do something, and fast, because any minute now his friends will decide to split up and search the temple, and that will make the task of bringing them all down the mountain that much harder. His mind made up, Kid approaches the lemur.

"Easy…" he soothes, though he knows it can't hear him. "This'll just be for a little bit, alright?" The lemur licks its paw, oblivious.

"Just focus," Joe calls over to him. "Put a hand through it and imagine yourself dissolving." Kid would rather not imagine that, actually, but if that's what he has to do…

Cautiously, Kid reaches out. His hand moves forward and doesn't stop until it's lost somewhere in the lemur's upper chest. It feels weird, he thinks. Tingly. Taking a deep breath, Kid closes his eyes and tries to focus. Gradually, the sounds of the dining hall grow sharper, and its smells intensify. Kid feels the smooth stone of the windowsill materialize beneath him, and suddenly he is crouched on it, small and curious and hungry.

"How's it feel?" Joe grins, watching as Kid tries to get his bearings. At first, he is too overwhelmed by his senses to answer. It's loud, it's bright, the air is a cornucopia of unfamiliar scents. He did it! Oh Agni, he actually did it. Should he be happy? This is so weird...

"I have a tail," he manages. Joe bursts out laughing, a deep, booming sound from the gut. Kid wonders if lemurs can blush. _Focus_ , he reminds himself, shaking his (the lemur's?) head. _Just don't think about it._ He has a job to do.

The distance between the windowsill and the floor seems outrageously vast, but he leaps down with relative ease. Lemurs are built for jumping, after all. Stubby little fingers tap a rhythm on the stone tiles as he scampers across the room, making a beeline for his friends' table.

"Good luck," calls Joe, vanishing. They both know he's going to need it.

"Blackstar and I will take the courtyard, then," Maka is saying, as the others look to her for the plan. "If neither of us finds him, we'll meet in the boys' dorm in thirty minutes." Liz, Patty, and Blackstar nod, before everyone makes to stand up. _Uh-oh_.

"Wait!" Kid shouts, leaping up onto the table. His friends jump back, recoiling from the fuzzy interloper.

"Lemur!" Patty gasps, squealing in delight.

"Patty, don't!" Liz intervenes before Patty can scoop Kid into her arms. "It's a wild animal, it could have rabies or something!"

"Hey!" Kid's (the lemur's?! This is nuts) ears flatten, insulted.

"What's it doing?" Blackstar asks, peering at Kid from the other side of the table.

"He sure is chatty," Maka remarks. Spirits, they can't understand him, can they? Figures. Well, they can see him, and that's better than nothing. Kid darts forward, taking Maka's wrist as best he can when his hands are the size of her thumbs. Maka pulls away in surprise, but he hangs on with all his might. He has to get them to follow him somehow!

"Hey, get off!" Blackstar exclaims, using one of his chopsticks to rap Kid on the head. Kid reels back, smarting from the assault.

"Quit it!" he snaps, but it must sound like simple yowling. Frustrated, he hops back across the table, this time giving Patty's wrist a tug.

"Hello, Mr. Lemur!" Patty beams, gripping his paw and shaking it.

"Patty, get away!" Liz cries, her arms halfway extended. But Patty pays her no mind; she scoops "Mr. Lemur" into her arms and croons at him. As his friend cradles him like a doll, it occurs to Kid that he hasn't really thought this through.

_We don't have time for this_! Scrambling out of Patty's hold, Kid gestures wildly from his friends to the door.

"I think he wants us to follow him," Maka ventures, and Kid's heart leaps.

"But we have to look for Kid!" Liz reminds her.

"Maybe he knows where Kid is!" Patty suggests, climbing out of her seat excitedly. "Follow that lemur!" With varying levels of enthusiasm, the others follow suit, and Kid leads them into the hallway.

What follows is an odd game of chase that spans the length of the temple, Kid only stopping to make sure his friends are keeping up. He surprises himself with his own speed; apparently, flying lemurs are no less agile on the ground. Finally, they're out of the complex, and the mountain slopes down into the clouds before them. Kid screeches to a halt just shy of the drop-off and peers down as the others catch up. Spirits, that's steep. No wonder most people think getting to an air temple by land is impossible!

"Is Kid down there?" Patty asks, once she and the others have arrived. Kid nods, and his friends' eyes bug out.

"Please tell me I'm not the only one who saw it nod," Liz hisses, not looking away from Kid.

"No, I saw it too," Maka says faintly.

"Hey, monkey, tell us where Kid is!" Blackstar demands. Kid points down at the mountainside. Maka frowns.

"We can't climb down there! We'd have to get a sky bison," she insists.

"Uh, is no one else even slightly weirded out by this?" Liz pleads. "The lemur understands us!"

"No, it's definitely weird," Maka assures her, sparing the other girl a wide-eyed glance before gazing back down the mountainside. "But I think something big's going on. Let's just see what's down there." Liz sighs, long and heavy, as though she's got the weight of the world on her shoulders. Really, with all the strange things they've gone through together, "talking" lemurs shouldn't be _that_ much of a stretch.

"He'd better be down there," Liz grouses, following the others as they head away from the mountainside. Having leapt up to perch on Patty's shoulder, Kid's fists tighten. _I couldn't agree more_ , he thinks, and hopes they aren't too late.


	6. Confrontation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater or Avatar: The Last Airbender
> 
> Heads up: Language and a bit of canon-typical violence

The teens yelp- some in terror, others with glee- as their bison lurches to one side for the dozenth time in the last ten minutes. Perched on the great beast's head, Maka has the reigns in an iron grip.

"Sorry!" she calls back, struggling to guide the animal back on course. Convincing the stablehands to lend them a sky bison had been a close thing, but Maka's assurance that she'd had plenty of experience with the animals had eventually won them over. What the girl hadn't mentioned was that none of that experience involved actually holding the reigns. Still, they're in the air, and for now that's all Kid can ask for.

"Do it again!" Patty cheers. Perching on her shoulder earlier had been a grave mistake on Kid's part; the girl had snatched him into her arms at the first opportunity, and even now continues to hold him like a plush toy. It's horribly embarrassing, but the young Avatar puts up with it as best he can. _Just find the swordsman_ , he reminds himself. _Find him, and get your body back._

Finally, mercifully, Blackstar sits up, staring intently down at the rock face they've been circling. "Look!" he exclaims, pointing down at the mountainside. There, barely visible against the white and grey of the snowy rocks, a man makes his way down the mountain. With his pale hair and plain clothes, he may have been invisible were it not for the red-clothed body slung over his shoulder.

"Kid!" Patty cries, her grip loosening. Liz curses, no doubt realizing the man is probably Arachnophobian.

"Take us down," she orders Maka, her eyes not leaving the mountainside.

"What's going on? Who is that?" Maka demands, frantic.

"Just take us down, we'll explain later," Liz tells her. Maka's face is pinched with anxiety, but she does as she's told. Their bison lows as it leans into a downward slide, curving inwards towards the mountain. The sound makes the man carrying Kid's body look up, and he stops walking. There's no tension in his features, though- he just looks resigned.

When the bison is still a good ten feet in the air, Blackstar shocks everyone in the saddle by suddenly vaulting over the side.

"Blackstar!" Maka shouts, but the bluenette ignores her. With a hard thud, he lands on his feet a few paces in front of the man. "Idiot!" Maka hisses as she lands the rest of them behind him.

"Hand him over," Blackstar orders the man, sinking into an earthbending stance. The man just stands there, observing him. The rest of the group assembles around their friend, each looking ready to fight. _Yes!_ Kid cheers, circling above them.

"Hey, jackass," Blackstar grunts, scowling at their opponent. "I said, hand him over!"

"How old are you?" The man finally speaks, his voice smoother than what they'd expected. The teens trade frowns.

"Just shut up and give us Kid!" Patty snaps, pointing at him with a dagger. A flare of alarm runs through Kid at the sight of it. Has she had that on her this whole time?! Judging by the nearly-identical one Liz has whipped out, probably. Spirits.

"You're all young, aren't you?" the man sighs, as though no one has spoken. "Children, all of you."

"What, are your ears not working?" Blackstar growls, taking a step closer. "That's our friend, asshole. I don't like it when people mess with my friends."

"Your friend has to come with me," the man tells him evenly. "I'm sorry."

"You're with Arachnophobia, aren't you?" Liz challenges, eliciting a gasp from Maka. It seems the organization is every bit as infamous in the Earth Kingdom as it is back home. But the man is unfazed.

"In a sense," he shrugs. "Call me Mifune."

"We don't care what your name is," Maka glares, her shock overcome. Her stance is loose, primed for directing the air however she needs to. Mifune sees this and shakes his head, a sense of weariness about him.

"I'm not looking for a fight," he tells the group. "But I'm warning you now, I won't let you get in my way." From above, Kid watches his friends' fighting stances sink lower, their resolve solidifying in the face of Mifune's threat. _I need to help them._ Kid's physical form hangs like a sack of wheat over the swordsman's shoulder. Closing the lemur's eyes, Kid tries to recreate the feeling of intangibility from earlier, trying to evaporate from the creature's body. It shudders, then drops limply to the ground, startling the others and leaving Kid hanging weightless in the air. _Oops_.

"Mr. Lemur!" Patty cries, and gets a dazed gurgling sound in response. Mifune's gaze is frozen on the animal as it clambers to its feet and flaps away. Then, as though he's just had an epiphany, he jerks his head back the sky above them. But Kid isn't there anymore; he's shooting like an arrow towards his own body, a tugging sensation at the core of his being urging him forward, faster, faster, his surroundings a blur, before the whole world fades entirely to black.

His spirit settles back where it belongs like the tang of a sword returned to its hilt, retreating from the foreign light of day. His senses return to him, guiding him towards full wakefulness. His fingers twitch. Involuntary, a groan escapes him.

"What?" Mifune mutters, his full attention returning to the body he holds. The sound reminds Kid that he's not out of the woods yet. Summoning his strength, he fights past the tingling numbness in his limbs to drive his knee deep into the swordsman's gut. Unprepared, Mifune doubles over, and Kid twists free into the snow.

"Kid!" Liz shouts, obviously relieved. He staggers towards his friends, and they rush forward to meet him.

"Are you okay?" Maka asks, as the Thompson sisters pull his arms around their shoulders.

"Better," he manages, grinning despite himself. _Finally_.

"I see." The group turns to find Mifune back on his feet, a sword in his hand. "So you used a temporary vessel. Resourceful." He points at Kid with the blade. "You're still coming with me, though."

"What's your deal?" Maka demands, pinning Mifune with a glare uncharacteristic of an airbender. "What do you want with him?"

"Personally? Nothing. It's just a job. My employer wants him brought in."

"But why?" Maka presses. For the first time, confusion appears on the swordsman's face. He seems to be taking a second look at the teens.

"You do know who he is, don't you?" he asks. Kid feels Liz and Patty shift uneasily, and dread pools in his own gut. There's no longer any doubt in his mind that Maka and Blackstar are safe to reveal his identity to, but he suddenly finds himself anxious to keep it from them just a bit longer. It's been so nice, just hanging out with them as friends; he doesn't want anything to change that. But what he wants doesn't matter right now, does it?

"Wait!" Kid calls out, leaning forward in the sisters' grip. "I haven't told them yet." If they're going to find out, it should at least be from him directly.

"Told us what?" Maka frowns, lifting an eyebrow at Kid. Beside her, Blackstar's fighting stance loosens somewhat as he tries to watch Mifune and Kid simultaneously.

"I…" he starts. Why was telling a whole village of strangers so much easier?! "I'm the Avatar."

From the looks on Maka and Blackstar's faces, he may as well have just called himself an albino toucan puffin.

"Huh?" Blackstar manages, after a moment. Maka, on the other hand, has already slipped from confusion to alarm.

"Oh… oh!" In her wide green eyes, Kid sees the puzzle pieces fly together. "Of course, that explains everything! Stupid, I didn't even consider- how'd I miss that?" Kid relaxes a little when he realizes her ire isn't for him, but directed inwards.

"Don't beat yourself up over it. He doesn't exactly scream "Avatar" at first glance," Liz consoles the younger girl.

"Hey!" Kid scowls up at her. She's not wrong, but she doesn't have to rub it in like that.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Mifune interrupts, sounding as though he means it, "but I've still got a job to do. Avatar, if you come quietly, your friends will be left alone." Kid had legitimately forgotten about the swordsman for a second there, but now the man has his undivided attention. Liz and Patty look concerned when he disentangles himself from their arms, but don't protest as he stands to face the swordsman.

Before he can say anything, though, a chunk of earth goes flying past his head from behind, hurtling towards Mifune. With a flash of steel, one of the swordsman's many blades meets the attack head-on, cleaving the rock in two before it hits him. _Holy_ …

"Left alone? Left alone?!" Blackstar surges forward, pulling up more rocks as he goes. "Who do you think you're dealing with? I'm Blackstar, the man who's gonna surpass the gods!"

Mifune just re-adjusts his grip on his sword. The lackluster response only adds fuel to Blackstar's fire, and the boy hurls a rock-covered fist at the man's face. Kid winces, bracing himself for the stomach-churning crunch of a nose breaking, but it never comes. Instead, Mifune swings his weapon around, slamming the sword's hilt against the mass of stone. Maka's sharp gasp comes nowhere close to masking the sound of rock breaking.

The blow takes Blackstar off-guard, the young earth bender reeling to one side. He's met by the flat of the swordsman's blade, which smacks him hard across the face. To a chorus of alarmed shouts, Blackstar drops, unconscious.

Enraged, Maka hurls a blast of wind at Mifune's head. Following her example, Kid shoots off a jet of flame, letting Maka's air carry it forward. The sight of two element barreling towards him doesn't appear to concern the swordsman, though; with one arm outstretched, he twirls his sword so quickly it blurs, and when they hit it, air and fire alike disperse.

"Holy shit," Liz gapes, her hold on her own weapon loosening in shock. She's taken Patty's shoulder in an iron grip, likely the only thing keeping the younger blonde from charging forward herself.

Mifune allows the spinning to slow, then stop, once the threat is past. He lowers his sword, gazing first across at the group, then down at Blackstar. The man's expression is unreadable. No one moves.

"I suppose I should've figured this would turn into a fight," Mifune sighs, breaking the silence. "It's my own fault, really; I was too confident in that severing technique." His sword returns to its sheath with a soft hiss. "You can go."

"Huh?" Kid stares at him, confused. He's letting them go? Just like that? Patty scowls, and Liz's jaw tightens; they suspect a trap. But before anyone else can get a word in, Mifune turns and walks away. Four pairs of eyes bore into his back, then widen as he leaps nimbly off the mountainside.

"Whoa!" Maka exclaims, and they rush forward, looking frantically down at the bare rock face. Clouds drift through empty air, concealing any hint of the earth far, far below. It shouldn't be possible, but it's the truth: Mifune is gone.


	7. Into the Wild Blue Yonder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater or Avatar: The Last Airbender
> 
> Heads-Up: Language

"Where'd he go?!" Liz demands. No one can answer her; the swordsman Mifune seems to have literally leapt off the mountain and into thin air. Kid and the girls squint down over the cliff's edge, looking for anywhere the man could be hiding himself, but the swirling snow makes seeing difficult, and what they can see doesn't look promising. It's like he just... vanished.

The group's unnerved silence is only broken by a groan from behind them a few moments later. Blackstar has begun to stir, and the teens rush to his side. Dark green eyes open, blinking blearily up at them.

"Are you okay?" Maka asks, her face pinched with concern.

"Wha… Where's…" Blackstar mumbles, bringing a hand to the side of his head and touching it gingerly. "What happened?"

"The sword guy jumped off a cliff," Patty informs him solemnly. His bewildered expression twists further.

"What?" he groans, pushing himself into a sitting position. Silently, Maka steadies him.

"He didn't- well, yeah, actually, I guess he did," Liz muses aloud. "Point is, he left."

"He _left_? Just like that?"

"We don't get it either, but hey, can't complain," Liz shrugs. Blackstar frowns, staring hard at the ground. If Kid didn't know any better, he'd say the earthbender is brooding.

"He caught us all off-guard," Maka states, and Blackstar looks up at her. "But next time, we'll know what to expect, and we'll be ready." Blackstar holds her stare for a moment longer, then grins.

"Damn right we will! All he got today was a measly little taste of my star power. Next time, I'm giving him a three-course meal!"

"It sounds kind of weird when you say it like that," Kid points out, Patty cackling away beside him. Blackstar scowls at him, ready to say something, then freezes.

"YOU!" he shouts, leaping up and grabbing Kid by his collar. "So you think you can get away with making a fool out of the big man, huh?! Is that it?"

"What?" Kid stutters, stars popping in his vision as the earthbender shakes him around.

"Don't play dumb! You were the Avatar this whole time and you didn't bother telling me? That's a low move, Kid, real low. But it's okay- a big star like me doesn't hold things against his minions. I totally get being intimidated by my awesomeness. Heck, I scare myself sometimes!"

"Huh?" Kid stares at him blankly, feeling a bit like a broken record, but Blackstar rambles right on over him.

"So here's the deal: I'm gonna wait, and you're gonna get as strong as you possibly can, and when you're ready, then we'll fight. I'll even help! You need an earthbending master, right? Well, today's your lucky day, cuz you're getting schooled by the one-and-only Blackstar!" This statement- or is it a threat?- is punctuated by a blinding grin.

"Fight?" Kid parrots, completely lost. What is he on about?!

"Yeah, a big one, you and me, no-holds-barred!" Blackstar declares, pumping his fist. "The day I beat you will be the day I can really say I've surpassed the gods! It'll only count if you're ready for it, though, so I'll let you train first."

"But I don't-" Kid protests, but it's no use; the earthbender is already racing back towards their waiting sky bison.

"I can't tell if he's kidding or not," Liz says, watching him scramble up one of the animal's legs.

"Oh, no, he's serious. But he won't try anything yet," Maka assures her. Fantastic. Kid groans, resting his face in one hand.

"Come on, you lazy bastards! Let's get this show on the road!" Blackstar calls out from his seat in the bison's saddle. One at a time, the others climb up after him, only pausing when Patty buries her head in the animal's fur for the dozenth time. Once they're all aboard, Maka snaps the reigns, and they're off.

Staring at the back of the Air Nomad's head, it occurs to Kid that she hasn't spoken to him since he'd revealed his identity. Fear grips him, and he wonders if she's going to start treating him differently. The thought of his new friend stepping on eggshells around him, or putting him on a pedestal the way Marie's village had, is disheartening, especially after how nice this week has been until now. Kid's jaw sets. No! He's not going to let that happen. He has so few people he's truly comfortable around as it is; there's no way he's losing one to stuffy decorum. He'll just have to show Maka that he's still the same person, regardless of who he is or what he can do. He'll-

"Kid?" Maka speaks up, snapping Kid out of his thoughts.

"Huh?"

"What did he mean back there, about you using a vessel?"

Oh.

"Ah… That's, well, you see-," Kid fumbles. Maka finally turns around, and the grin on her face is horrible.

"Kid was Mr. Lemur!" Patty screeches, throwing her arms in the air. And there it is. Kid groans, burying his face in his hands as laughter breaks out in the saddle.

"Seriously?! Dude, that was you?" Blackstar asks, wide-eyed.

"Yeah…" Kid admits, not looking up.

"But how?" Maka manages between giggles. "What happened?"

"He separated me from my body somehow, no one could see or hear me. The whole time you were talking in the dining room I was trying to get your attention!"

"Seriously?" Liz asks, her mirth finally fading. Kid nods.

"I'd probably still be stuck like that if Joe hadn't helped me out. The 'vessel' thing was his idea, sort of."

"Joe? As in Avatar Joe?" Maka exclaims, suddenly looking quite serious.

"Yeah, he's the one who told me what was happening."

"You communed with a past life! I've read about previous Avatars doing that, it's supposed to give you access to wisdom from all your past lives!" Maka explains, a great deal more excited than Kid himself. "You can talk to Avatar Eibon, or Avatar Zubaidah, or anyone you want! Generations of knowledge about the past, directly from people who lived it! It's amazing."

"Sounds like it," Kid says, a bit taken aback by her sudden enthusiasm. "But I can't do it on command. This was the first time I've ever spoken to any of my past lives, and I think it only happened because I was already in the Spirit World. Will I have to leave my body every time I want to talk to them?"

"No, I don't think so," Maka assures him. "You probably just need more practice. If you can find someone to walk you through it, you should be able to figure it out. Lucky for you, you're already at one of the most spiritual places in the world! I bet any one of the monks back at the temple would be able to help."

"Yeah, about that," Liz interrupts, grimacing. "We actually need to get going. Like, soon."

"Huh?" Maka looks to Kid, confused, but he just nods.

"We only stayed at the temple for so long because we figured Arachnophobia couldn't reach us there. Now that we know that's not true, we need to get moving," he explains. It's the truth, as much as he wishes it weren't; once word of Mifune's failure reaches her, Arachne will almost certainly send someone else after them, and they don't plan to be here when she does.

"Why don't you go to the Abbot, or the council of elders? If any of them knew you were the Avatar, they wouldn't let anyone get near you!" Maka suggests.

"We thought about that, but you've got to understand, these people are relentless," Kid stresses. "So far, they've been sending individuals or small groups, but us going public would almost certainly change that."

"Arachne's a pain in the ass, but she's also smart," Liz adds. "She's been fairly low-key about chasing us, but that's just because she doesn't want to deal with any national governments interfering."

"Basically, if we escalate things, so will she, and a lot of people will get hurt." Kid summarizes. "So for now, we're dealing with it on our own."

"I guess that makes sense," Maka admits, though her frown deepens. "But then where will you go now? How are you going to learn about the spirit world if you don't stay here?"

"We'll… just have to figure it out," Kid sighs. He supposes they could just go to another air temple, but that will take months, and they'd have to make their stay brief. He can already see the path to full Avatarhood stretching longer and longer, and tries not to let misery overcome him.

"Well, if that's the case, you can count on us to help!" Maka declares, smiling. At this, Blackstar punches a fist in the air.

"Alright, road trip!" he shouts. Kid stares at them, dumbfounded. Did they not hear a word of what he'd just said?

"Look, you guys, you can't," he tells her, hoping to let them down gently. "It's dangerous. You saw it yourself, Arachnophobia's after us, and believe me when I saw Mifune is one of their nicer goons. We're constantly on the run."

"Well, it sounds like you need all the help you can get, then," Maka counters, crossing her arms. "Besides, you're nowhere near an airbending master yet. I said I'd teach you, and I will!"

"You're gonna need an earthbending teacher, too, yeah?" Blackstar interjects, pounding his fist against his palm. "Like I said, I got you."

"Oooh, can we keep them? Please, please, please can we keep them?" Patty begs, clasping her hands desperately. Kid looks from her, to Blackstar, to Maka, to Liz. Liz shrugs. Finally, Kid sighs, and accepts defeat.

"Alright," he concedes, eliciting cheers from Blackstar and Patty. "But don't say I didn't warn you!"

"Oh, get over yourself, Lemur Boy," Liz grins, shoving him lightly. Kid scowls at her, but it doesn't last. Watching as Liz and Maka fall into easy conversation, Patty and Blackstar cackling away about something behind them, the young Avatar can't help but smile. Their little trio has become a group of five, it seems. Whatever happens next, they'll tackle it together.

* * *

Elsewhere, Mifune crouches in the dark, pondering his report to Arachne. He knows he must be careful; while the woman is not as rash or petty as others he's served, she is far from the gracious, loving matriarch she portrays herself as. After several long minutes of staring at the blank paper pressed flat against the wall, the swordsman begins to write.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it for fic #2! I hope you enjoyed it. As I mentioned earlier, real life is going to get very busy very soon, so I don't see myself posting again for a while. But I still don't want to disappear entirely, so hopefully I'll be able to post things every now and then over the next few months. Thank you for reading!


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